New For This Year...Mini Desserts

On Saturday afternoon, in an antique mall where I chose to browse, I found this set in a booth with a 50 % off everything sign. I am always drawn to signs like that. I liked this small pitcher and six tiny glass cups. Now, you may be wondering at this point just what I had in mind when I made this purchase?

I am not one for New Year's resolutions. I discovered a long time ago that it just does not work for me. But, what I decide to do in this coming year, when I have people over for dinner, I am going to start serving "mini desserts". This is a new trend in the hospitality world. And, as my mother says, "she wants just a little something sweet for dessert." So many people are cutting back on sugar, and many are cutting out desserts from daily life.

I am chosing not to go to such drastic measures when serving dinner to my guests, but I am going to follow this new trend.

When I visited a restaurant in Florida, two years ago, they had mini chocolate milkshakes on the dessert menu. Some in our party chose that item and what a hit it was!

Hence, my thought process when I purchased this glass set on Saturday.

There are many chocolate milkshake recipes out there. The one I used, I have included below;

"Mini Chocolate Milkshakes"

4 1/2 cups of chocolate ice cream

1 1/2 cups of whole milk

1 TB sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Blend half of ice cream, half of milk, half of sugar, and vanilla in blender until smooth. Divide shake amoung 5 or 6 very small glasses. Repeat with remaining ice cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla. Serve immediately.

I served this mini milkshake with three mini peanut butter crackers, and a regular straw cut down to the needed size.

I find this dessert a hit with my guests. Now, if the "mini" size annoys some, I will serve them a larger size.

This is another one of my "mini dessert" choices. I used my little glass votive holders. I filled it with 1 1/2 scoops of vanilla ice cream using my tiny ice cream scoop. I drizzled some chocolate syrup, and sprinkled some Fisher Mixed Nut Topping. I served this with a small condiment spoon, and a fresh strawberry on the side.

In my mind, this is the perfect way to finish a dinner out or at home with guests.

Another idea that I learned from the restaurant world, was to serve a plate with "hot from the oven" mini chocolate chip cookies and a small glass of cold milk. This also is a hit with my guests. Not to mention the aroma of chocolate chip cookies baking beforehand.
Another "little something sweet" for after dinner.

The cookies that are shown above, are some that my husband really enjoys. They are embarassingly simple.

I take a pack of Toll House Ulitmates and cut the rectangular shaped dough into tinier pieces than the originally shown lines. I take the tiny pieces of dough and put them on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 - 12 minutes at 350 degrees. When I remove the tray of cookies from the oven, I immediately break a small piece of the Ghirardelli Mint Bliss Bar and lay it on each tiny cookie. After a minute or so, I take the back of a spoon and smooth the melted chocolate over the top of each cookie. So easy and so delicious, if you enjoy the taste of chocolate mint. I serve this on a plate with a small glass of cold milk and a cut to size straw.

This idea seems to make sense to me, in a age where everyone seems to be thinking in a healthy fashion. But, if you find this to be an idea that just does not work for you, or if you happen to be one of those people who would rather eat dessert than dinner...then please forgive me for this post.